Combined washing machine



Jalh 25, 1955 R. VAN :MPE

COMBINED WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 4, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet l HQBERT V41//Mpe Jan. 25, 1955 R. VAN IMPE COMBINED WASHING MACHINE 4` Sheets-Sheet2 Filed Aug. 4. 1951 @05547- l/mv /MpE Jan. 25, 1955 R. VAN IMPE2,700,286

COMBINED WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 4, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Hoe ER 7'l/Aw /M PE m /MM Jan. 25, 1955 R. VAN 1MPE 2,700,286

COMBINED WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 4, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 @055er l/QN/Mps Hfs 1965A/ 7' COMBINED WASHING MACHINE Robert Van Impe, Ransart,Belgium Application August 4, 1951, Serial No. 240,307

Claims priority, application Belgium August 8, 1950 8 Claims. (Cl.68-26) The present invention relates to a combined machine for heating,washing and drying clothes, household linen and like articles, thesearticles being referred to hereafter bythe single term linen The machineaccording to the invention combines in a single container, having onlythe dimensions of an ordinary washing machine, the parts capable ofcarrying out the three above mentioned operations in such a way that thesaid operations can be effected simultaneously, that is to say thatwhilst one part of the machine provides for heating the wash liquid andthe linen to be treated, the other part provides for drying the washedlinen.

A combined heating, Washing and-drying machine made according to theinvention is characterised by great simplicity, small dimensions,maximum output, and good appearance.

A machine made according to the invention comprises, in substance, asingle tank, divided vertically into two compartments. One of thesecompartments is used for heating and washing the linen, whilst the othercompartment is used for drying the linen.

T his single compartmented tank, having a single cover, is interiorlydisposed at the upper part of an external casing, the lower part ofwhich provides a space necessary for accommodating the water heatingdevice in the washing compartment and the parts for driving, andtransmitting the drive to, the movable parts of the washing and thedrying parts of the machine.

Other features and advantages of a combined machine made according tothe invention will become apparent from the following description of twoconstructional examples, given simply by way of illustration and showndiagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l illustrates diagrammatically, in longitudinal section, taken onthe line I-Il-IIl-IV-V--VI of Fig. 2, one construction of a combinedwashing machine made according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same machine, partly in section, the coverbeing removed;

Fig. 3 is an external perspective view, on a reduced scale, of themachine shown in Figs. l and 2.

Fig. 4 illustrates diagrammatically, in radial vertical section, asecond construction embodying a modification of a combined washingmachine made according to the invention;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal radial section, taken on the line V-V of Fig. 4,and

Fig. 6 is a vertical radial section taken on the line Vl--Vl of Fig. 5,illustrating diagrammatically the parts of the driving transmissionlocated in the lower part of the single tank.

The machine shown in Figs. l to 3 comprises essentially a cylindricaltub or tank 1, divided vertically into two compartments Z, 3, by acurved wall 4. The rst compartment 2 provides a receiver for the washliquid and the linen to be treated, whilst the second compartment 3provides the necessary space for accommodating a cylindrical receiver 5,rigidly connected with the common base 6 o'r' the tank 1. In thecylindrical receiver 5 is mounted a drier 7 formed by a substantiallycylindrical movable container, the wall 8 of which has a peculiar shaperesulting from the deformation, along a broken line, of the said wall,by means of which excessive aperturing of the wall of the drier isavoided. This characteristic wall is fitted with a number of peripheralrows of nited States Patent ICC apertures 9, the axis of each rowcoinciding with each bigger diameter part of the wall 8. The dryingcontainer 7 the maximum diameter of which is sllghtly less than theinternal diameter of the container 5, thus providing a space 10 betweenthe elements 5-8, is fitted at top with a cover 11, which can be readilyremoved, and which is provided with a central aperture 12 of reduceddiameter, this arrangement being provided in order to exclude theprojection of the linen when the drier is in operatlon. At its lower endthe drying container is rigidly connected with a plate 13, preferably bymeans of a iianged circular ring 14 and a ring of elastic material 15,in order to reduce as much as possible the unbalanced action produced bythe weight of the linen. This plate 13 is iixed at the upper end of avertical shaft 16 guided in a bracket 17, rigidly connected with thebase 6 by means of two cupels, namely an upper cupel 13 and a lowercupel 19, between the flanges of which are clamped the common base 6 andthe base 20 of the container 5.

The upper cupel 18 is fitted with a fluid-tight packing 21, whilst, inthe inner chamber, formed by the two cupels 18-19, there is disposed,around the shaft 16, a small bell-shaped member 22 which together withthe said uid-tight ring 21, provides a supplementary safety device forprotecting the bearings 23, as well as the other parts of thedrivingdevice, against penetration of water from the drying operation.

The bracket 17 is joined with a lateral arm 24 carrying a support for anelectric motor 25.

in the heating and washing compartment 2, the common base 6 has mountedtherein, at the centre, or approximately at the centre, of the completeapparatus, two movable plates 26, arranged on both sides of the dryingcontainer 5 and iitted with a vertical rib 27, the longitudinal shape ofwhich, in the form shown, is of spiral shape, the height of the ribsdecreasing progressively from the origin to the end of the spiral.

Each plate 26 is fixed to the upper end of a vertical shaft 2S locatedand guided in a small bracket 29 rigidly connected with a depression 30in the base 6, so that the top plane of the plate properly so called isapproximately at the level of the top plane of the common base 6. Thebracket 29 is fixed to the said depressed part 30 of the base 6 by meansof a disc 31 having a fluid tight joint 32, and by a cupel 33, formingpart of the bracket 29, the wall of the depression 30 being clampedbetween the disc 31 andthe flange of the cupel 33.

Similarly to the shaft 16 of the drier, the shafts 28 of the spiralplates are fitted with a protecting bell 34 for the bearings 35 and theother parts of the mechanism. The electric motor 25, the spindle 36 ofwhich is fitted with a grooved pulley 37, transmits its movementdirectly to the drier by means of a belt 38 and a grooved wheel 39 fixedto the shaft 16 of the drier, the movement of rotation of the two platesbeing obtained from the shaft 16. To this end, the said shaft 16comprises, in addition to the grooved wheel 39, two further adjacentlydisposed grooved pullies 40, 41 which are connected to correspondinggrooved wheels 42, 43 fixed on the shafts 28 of the spiral plates 26, bymeans of trapezoidal belts denoted respectively 44, 45.

Below the base 6, at the side of the driving mechanism for the spiralplates 26, and in the lower part of the common cylindrical casing 46 ofthe machine, there is provided a gas burner 48, the inlet 47 of which,connected, in the absence of a gas distribution network, to a flask ofbutane gas or other suitable source of supply, comprises a numberin thepresent case, eightof vertical gas tubes 4S, and an air intake 49. Avertical partition 50 disposed in the vicinity of the tubes 48 and rigidwith the common base 6 forms a barrier for the llames, in order to avoiddamage to the transmission mechanism of the machine.

The common tank 1 has at top an outer peripheral rim 51, and an innerperipheral bead 52. This bead 52 serves as a support for the cover 53 ofthe machine, whilst the rim 51 provides for the suspension of the tankl, with all its active parts and its driving devices, a noninflammablejoint 63 being disposed on the top edge 54 ofthe general casing 46 ofthe machine. This casing 46 1s xed on a circular base plate, fitted withrollers Se.

This base plate also serves as a support for a suitable number of rods57 hooked onto the lower edge 58 of the tank 1 and tightened by means ofnuts 59. The expansion effects of the device thus constructed arecompensated by springs 6i) fitted on the rods 57, and bearing betweenthe base plate 55 and the nuts 59.

Between the tank 1 and the general casing 46 there is provided aconcentric space 61, and the casing is, on a part of its heightcorresponding approximately to the height of the tank 1, fitted with aheat insulating lining or plates 62, providing for thermal insulation ofthe machine and systematically excluding dangerous overheating of thecasing 46.

Towards the top, and on the side of the drier, the tank 1 is formed witha number of apertures 64 and, at about the middle of its length, thetank is traversed by a tube 65 communicating with the container 5 andproviding for the discharge of the water produced by the dryingoperation.

As above stated, the heating and washing compartment and the dryingcompartment are separated by the curved wall 4; the central part 4 ofthis separating wail extends concentrically with the container 7, butthe lateral parts 4', 4 of the wall are outwardly curved and the endsare connected to the inner wall of the tank 1. By this arrangement thelinen treated in the compartment 2 is prevented from penetrating intothe cavities formed between the tank 1 and the container 5.

The operation of this multiple-action machine is very simple, rapid andetiicient. In use, the compartment 2 is filled with a wash liquid andthe linen to be washed, the electric motor is started and the burner 47,48 ignited` The hot gases produced by the flames from the burner 47, 48flow along the outer wall of the common tank l and pass into theperipheral space 61 and are exhausted through the apertures 64, afterhaving traversed the lengthy passage between the two surfaces l, 62.

Simultaneously, the ribbed plates 26, turning in the direction of thearrows shown in the drawing, stir the heated water and linen moving themupwardly, the turbulent action resulting therefrom being opposed by thecurved partition 4 and the allied action of the two ribbed plates 26.

Also simultaneously, assuming that a given quantity of linen alreadytreated in the compartment 2 has passed into the drier 7, the latter,being rapidly rotated, expels by centrifugal force the water from thelinen, this expelled water being discharged through the pipe 65.

It will thus be observed that, when the motor 25 and the burner 47, 4Soperate, the machine effects simultaneously the heating, the washing andthe drying of the linen, whence it results that any loss of time betweenthe two operations-the washing and drying operations-is systematicallyavoided. Since the cover 53 is common to the two devices it is obviousthat it is only necessary to remove this single cover for the purpose ofinstantaneously and easily passing the linen from the washingcompartment to the drying compartment.

It will, of course, be understood that some parts of the machine couldbe replaced by equivalent parts or parts capable of carrying out anequivalent action. Thus, for example, the plates 26 having a singlespiral rib 27 could be replaced by plates having a number of ribs in theform of an interrupted spiral or by parts known per se, such as discsfitted with blades or paddles, or with radial ribs, and like devices.

Similarly, the drying container 8 might also be formed by the usualperforated container which is not suspended elastically on the shaft 16.

According to the second constructional form shown in the alternativeembodiment in Figs. 4 to 6, the spindle 36 of the electric motor 2.5 isconnected directly to the rigid base 66 of the basket 8 of the drier.The motor 25 is fixed to a ring 67, suspended elastically between agiven number of springs 68 and 69, those in the upper series 68 bearingagainst washers 7 0, and those of the lower series 69 bearing on acylindrical base 71, rigid with the general casing 46 of the machine.The springs 68-69 are compressed by bolts 72 which pass through the ring67.

By means of these devices, the basket S of the drier of themodification, as shown in Fig. 4, is then suspended elastically, and itwill be able to overcome the lack of balance produced by the unequallydistributed weight 'of the linen in the basket 8, without howevertransmitting substantial vibrations to the static part of the machine.-

The agitating means in the heating and washing compartment for thelinen, are, in accordance with the moditication, made as follows:

A vertical shaft 73 carries two paddles 74, 75 forming an angle of 90with one another. The shaft 73 and its two paddles 74, '75, forming aprojection from the base 6 of the compartment 2 have imparted thereto,in the case illustrated, an oscillating movement of rotation having anamplitude of 90, by means of a device comprising a rod 76 and a crank 77driven by a pulley 78. The latter receives its movement of rotation fromthe motor 25, through a small pulley 79, keyed on the lower end of themotor spindle 36, a belt 80, a big pulley 81, rigid with theintermediate shaft 82, a small pulley 83 keyed on this same shaft 82,and a belt 84. The dimensions and the relative arrangement of the wholedevicerod 76 and crank 77-are designed so that for each completerevolution of the pulley 78, the vertical shaft 73 and the paddles 74,make 1A revolution in one direction and then Mt revolution in theopposite direction.

Approximately at the height provided for the level of the wash waterthere is disposed a horizontal plate S5, rigidly connected with the tank1, which partly surrounds the drying container 5 and then extends out toapproximately the centre of the common tank.

The transmission mechanism is mounted on a bracket 6, rigidly connectedwith the base 6 of the tank l, by means of three iixing members 87, ofwhich the central member, through which the shaft 73 passes, comprises ailuid tight joint 38.

The agitation device thus constructed operates therefore by beating byreason of the two paddles 74, '75 oscillating alternately in oppositedirections, the raising of the water level by reason of the accumulationof the water expelled by the paddles alternately in the spaces 89 and 90being systematically avoided by the presence of the dellector formed bythe horizontal plate 85. In operation this plate prevents the rocking ofthe water tending, under the action of the paddles 74, 75, to rise inthe space 89, and to fall in the space 90 and vice versa, and thusincreases the action of the Whole agitator 73, 74, 75.

It is obvious that the apparatus above described, that relating to theelastic suspension of the drier, and also that relating to the agitator,and the driving and transmission parts can readily be modified. Thus,for example the relative dispositions of the motor and of the drivenparts, the number of paddles on the agitator shaft, the angularrelationships of the said paddles, the amplitude of the oscillatingmovement, the shape of the horizontal screen, the shape of the commontank, and the like can be modified to suit individual requirements.

Any such cons'tructional modifications in no way affect the scope of thepresent invention as defined by the appended claims.

What l claim is:

l. A self-contained apparatus for washing linen, comprising, incombination, an outer casing, a tank concentrically suspended in thesaid casing, a wall in said tank dividing the interior thereof into twocontiguous compartments one of which is a washing device disposed in onecompartment and a container including a drying drum forming a driermounted in the other compartment; a chamber being formed between thebottom of the said tank and the lower part of the said casing, a drivingmechanism for the washing device and for the drier, and a heating devicemounted in said chamber, the washing device and the drier being closedby a single cover fitted on to said tank.

2. Apparatus according to claim l, characterised by thev feature thatthe top edge of said tank is suspended resiliently on the upper edge ofthe outer casing, and means operable to connect its lower edge to thebottom edge of said casing comprising adjustable spring tensionedconnecting elements.

3. Apparatus according to claim l, characterised by the feature that theinner wall of said outer casing is provided, to a height correspondingapproximately to that of the tank, with a heat insulating lining.

4. Apparatus according to claim l, characterised by the feature that theouter casing is formed, adjacent to its upper part, with a series ofapertures providing for .the discharge of hot air or gas.

5 Apparatus according to-claim l, characterised by the feature that thewashing compartment has adjacent the central part thereof two mutuallyperpendicular interconnected oppositely turnable paddles connected tosaid driving mechanism.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised by the feature that thedrying device is formed by a drum, the generatrix of which has the shapeof a broken line, and is formed with apertures disposed perpendicular tothe outer edges of the said drum.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised by the feature thatsaid driving mechanism comprises a motor having a spindle, the motorspindle carries directly the support for the drying tank, and elasticelements operable to support said motor.

8. In a laundry machine, in combination, a cylindrical casing open ontop and including a resilient rim surrounding said open top, a tubsuspended from said rim for sealing the top and including on itsinterior a washing compartment arranged to receive water and a dryingcompartment partitioned therefrom, said tub dening with the Wall of saidcasing an apertured annular chamber disposed below said rim andsurrounding said compartments and arranged for the passage of hot air,agitating means disposed in said washing compartment, a drier disposedin said drying compartment and including a drum revoluble about avertical axis, a vertical driving shaft protruding from below into saidtub and being secured to the bottom of said drum axially thereof fordrum rotation, said driving shaft being resiliently supported forresilient support of said drum independently of said tub, a motordisposed below said tub and being in driving connection with said shaftand with said agitating means for combined agitated washing and rotarydrying actions in said tub, an air heater disposed below said tank andintercommunicating with said annular chamber for simultaneously heatingboth compartments, and means actuable for resiliently connecting thelower portion of said tank to said casing and operable to impede thetransmission to said casing of any vibrations developing in said tub.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,506,783 Synder Sept. 2, 1924 1,787,243 Geldhof Dec. 30, 1930 1,788,125Scheele Jan. 6, 1931 1,799,649 Schenck Apr. 7, 1931 1,842,030 Kirby Jan.19, 1932 1,923,580 Nelson Aug. 22, 1933 2,291,088 Morgenstern July 28,1942 2,300,055 McCabe Oct, 27, 1942 2,328,256 Breckenbridge Aug. 31,1943 2,390,213 Geldhof et al Dec. 4, 1945 2,555,268 Chamberlin May 2 9,1951

